Evolution of WPF

In Pakistan, interventions on Family Planning started back in as early as 1960s. Initially all the programs took in consideration only the reproductive health aspects. In 1998-9, WPF established its field office in Pakistan (Islamabad) with the agenda of directing the Family Planning perspective to a broader perspective of SRHR that was critical for achieving the health, population and development targets more effectively in Pakistan. 

For its continued work in other developing countries, WPF had well recognized the importance of investing in adolescence sexual and reproductive health to achieve the development targets in these countries. Based on this experience, WPF since its inception focused the adolescence sexual and reproductive health in Pakistan too.

During the first five years of its work in Pakistan, WPF supported government institutes as well as civil society organizations in designing and management of sexual and reproductive health projects and provided technical assistance and trainings for the effective implementation of the programmes. WPF also formed a network of local NGOs known as “Adolescent Health Awareness Network (AHAN)” to strengthen local linkages in terms of sharing resources and experiences to improve reproductive health services and information for adolescents in Pakistan.

In 2003, WPF along with sister organizations of AHAN conducted an “Assessment study on knowledge, attitudes and practice of Reproductive Health Indicators”. The study showed a number of alarming statistics regarding unsafe sexual practices, sexual exploitation, early marriages, unsafe abortions and maternal death etc. regarding the adolescents of Pakistan. With this study as an evident base, WPF focused its aim on enhancing the attitudes, skills and behaviours of adolescents in Pakistan for a greater impact. For the last four years WPF’s major focus was on ASRH with specific focus on “school-going youth”. WPF started its work as a catalyst for other local organizations working on the same and complementing issues in building their capacity to effectively address the adolescence sexual and reproductive health issues.